


S2 E21 18th & Potomac

by JDPostEpisodeChallenge, mlea7675



Series: Josh & Donna Post Episode Challenge [61]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 05:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26467930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDPostEpisodeChallenge/pseuds/JDPostEpisodeChallenge, https://archiveofourown.org/users/mlea7675/pseuds/mlea7675
Summary: A bad day gets worse.
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Series: Josh & Donna Post Episode Challenge [61]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1087419
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	S2 E21 18th & Potomac

The countdown was now 48 hours until the President would publicly announce to the world that he had MS. Joey's poll had gone out in the field, all the Senior Staff had been told, and preliminary plans had been made for a 30 minute Dateline special, with a press conference to follow. There was nothing left to do but execute their well-made plans and hope for the best.

Josh walked back into the room after his talk with Toby. While he was focused on the job at hand, there was also what had just transpired between him and Toby regarding Donna.

He couldn't believe that Toby had told Donna. That was supposed to be his job. True, he hadn't reacted maybe as quick as he should have, but that was no excuse for Toby to sweep in. All he could picture in his head was Donna's calm, collected face when she told him that she knew. Then he considered Toby's words-"If everybody out there takes it the way she did, we may be okay." He wished he had been there to watch her take it all in, to comfort her.

Josh shook it off. He had to get ready for the meeting in the Residence to start the re-election discussion. Just then, there was a knock at his door.

Donna poked her head in. "Leo called. He wants to see Senior Staff in his office right away."

Josh looked puzzled, and rightfully so. "I thought we were meeting up in the Residence."

She shrugged. "He just told me to tell you to go to his office. That's all I know."

"Yeah, OK." He started walking out. He turned around, suddenly thinking he should say something to her. "Donna?"

"Yes?"

His shoulders sagged as she looked at him, all business and apparently ready to move on. Like Toby said, she had just taken it on the chin and done what she could to help. Maybe-maybe the moment had passed for an apology.

"Nothing." He said. "Just...try to get home a little early. It's gonna be a long few days."

Donna nodded. "Okay."

With that, Josh walked towards Leo's office.

…

When Josh arrived, he saw Sam and CJ standing in the room, and Toby walking in behind him. "Do we have more questions about tobacco?" he asked Leo.

Then, he noticed that the Chief of Staff's face was pale-something it almost never was-and he was oddly quiet. "Leo?"

Leo looked up. There was definitely something else on his mind. "I have some news for all of you."

Sam and Toby immediately looked concerned. CJ looked up, tuned in. And Josh was just confused.

"Approximately twenty minutes ago, Mrs. Landingham was driving her new car back here to the White House. At the intersection of 18th and Potomac, a drunk driver ran a red light and hit her." He paused, readying them for the sharpest blow. "She was...killed. On impact."

CJ gasped. Toby swallowed hard, looking down at his shoes. Sam also looked down. Josh had a million different thoughts running through his head. And then CJ voiced the first thought that came to his mind.

"Does the President-"

"Yeah. I told him."

"Who took the call?" Sam wanted to know.

"Charlie did." Leo paused. "Listen, we're not gonna get any more work done tonight. The President's gone back up to the Residence to tell the First Lady, so why don't you all go home, get some rest, and we'll get back to work first thing in the morning?"

Everyone nodded in assent. Josh finally found his voice. "Anybody else know yet?"

Leo shook his head. "That reminds me. CJ, we'll need to issue a statement. I'll let you know when a funeral's been scheduled, but in the meantime let's just keep the schedule."

CJ raised her hand. "The announcement?"

"All of it."

Josh was quiet as they all left Leo's office. Sam and Toby went back to Toby's office, and CJ went to her space, presumably to tell Carol. His feet picked up as he walked toward his office. He had to tell Donna. He had to tell her before anyone else got to her. This was going to devastate the woman he loved.

He stopped in his tracks. The woman he loved?

When did that become a thing?

Since always, he admitted to himself. But he was going to push it down, because if he admitted it now, she would just assume he was acting in grief. He had to mean it-first to himself, then to Donna.

But first, he had to tell her that the woman that she looked upon as a second mother had been killed in a car accident not an hour earlier.

He entered his office, relieved to see that she was still writing. Without looking up, she asked, "Did Leo want to go over some more stuff for Wednesday night?"

Of course. That's what tonight would've been about-if nature hadn't thrown their lives into shambles.

Josh ran a hand through his hair. "Um...actually, no."

There was something strangely quiet about Josh's voice, and Donna was nothing if not in tune with her boss. She looked up to see an expression she hadn't seen anybody wear since Toby had told her Josh was shot.

"Josh, what's wrong?" She asked, immediately alarmed.

"Donna, I have something to tell you."

She nodded, still on high-alert. "Is the President OK?"

"What?" Her question caught Josh off-guard. "Yeah. Yeah, he's fine. It's….it's this. There was an accident."

"Who?" she asked simply.

Josh swallowed. There was no hiding it now. "Mrs. Landingham."

Donna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth just as CJ's had. "Is she-" She knew the answer already. She wasn't naive-Josh wouldn't be acting like this if she were OK. She looked down at her hands. "She's dead, isn't she?"

"Yeah." Josh replied simply.

Tears filled Donna's eyes as she began to cry quietly. Suddenly, she looked up.

"How's the President taking it?"

"Not that great." Josh answered honestly. "Leo said we're probably not gonna get anything else done tonight, so if you want to go home…"

Donna shook her head. "There's still stuff that needs to be done."

Josh laughed a little. "Did you hear what I said? We're all going home."

She took a breath. "I don't want to be alone right now." she admitted.

"Oh. Well…" Josh took a pause to consider what he was about to say. There would be no turning back after this moment. "You could stay with me tonight."

Donna looked up. "Josh, no, I couldn't possibly-"

"Donna, you just said you didn't want to be alone. At least let me take you home if you don't want to stay with me." Although I don't exactly blame you if you don't, he added in his head.

She sighed. "All right."

"All right, what?"

"All right, I'll stay with you."

"Are you sure? Are you really sure?"

"Absolutely."

With that, Donna stood up, and Josh got a good look at her. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and she was pale. Josh gave her a sympathetic look, then put his arm around her and went to lead her out of the West Wing.

Leo caught up to them. "You okay, kid?" he asked Donna, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. "I know you two were close."

Donna nodded. "I will be. Can you please pass on my sympathies to the President and First Lady."

Leo gave a curt nod. "I'll do that." He turned to Josh. "How about you?"

"Yeah. I'm just...gonna take her home."

"Take care of her, all right? Make sure she gets home safe."

"I will." Josh replied softly.

…

They arrived at Josh's apartment in no time at all, the late hour owing to the empty streets. They walked up to Josh's apartment and inside, exhausted. Donna sat down on his couch.

"Can I get you anything?" Josh asked her. She shook her head.

"I-I just want some company right now." Donna replied, her voice beginning to waver.

Josh took the hint and sat down on the couch, near her but not actually close enough to touch her. She looked at him, and that was all she needed: the dam burst and she began to sob. For Mrs. Landingham, for the President, for the MS, all of it.

He wrapped her in a hug, silently willing her not to pull away. She buried deeper into his chest, crying her eyes out.

After a few minutes, she pulled back and said, "I'm sorry."

Josh was taken aback. "What on Earth for?"

"I-I just...I shouldn't be leaning on you for comfort."

"Hey. That's what I'm here for. I'm only doing what I should've done after Toby told you." He mumbled the last part, but Donna heard him anyway.

"What do you mean?" Donna asked, perplexed.

Josh sighed. It was time to admit how horribly guilty he felt. "I should've been the one to tell you about the MS, not Toby."

Donna looked surprised. "Josh, have you been upset about this?"

He shrugged. "A little."

She smiled softly. "CJ was right."

"Right about what?"

"You really can be very sweet sometimes." She turned to him. "It wasn't your fault, you know. If anything, Toby was looking out for you."

"He was?" Josh replied, confused.

"By telling me, he was making sure that there would be someone to look after you. Make sure you were eating and sleeping."

Josh looked a little incredulous. "You wanted to do that for me?"

"Josh." Donna replied. He looked at her at the sudden change in her voice. It sounded stronger, sharper. "I've always wanted to do that for you."

"You...you have?"

"Why do you think I took care of you for all those months after Rosslyn?"

Josh sat back in thought. She was right. She wouldn't have spent all that time caring for him after Rosslyn unless she cared. Maybe, he thought, it wouldn't be the end of the world if he said what he was thinking.

"Donna." He said, gaining her attention.

"Yeah?"

"I would do that for you, too."

"You would?" she replied quietly.

He was quiet for a second, then he blurted it out. "I love you."

She looked up, startled. "Josh-"

"Hear me out. I'm not just saying this out of grief. I've loved you-God, ever since Manchester. But what happened tonight-and what's happened in the last two weeks-made me realize one thing. Life is short. And you can't waste time because you never know when your number's going to be up."

Her voice quivered, shocked at the revelation. "Josh…"

Josh held his breath. This was it. She didn't share his feelings.

"Josh...I love you too."

He did a double take. He hadn't been expecting her to say that. "Wait, what?"

"I said I love you too."

Josh said nothing, but leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Within a few seconds, she was kissing him back.

As they pulled apart, Donna said, "What are we gonna do now?"

"I don't know." Josh admitted. "I don't know what's going to happen over the next few months, but we'll face it together."

Donna smiled, taking his hand. And then, Josh whispered in her ear,

"And for the record, I wouldn't stop for red lights, either."


End file.
